1190% lift in review volume boosts sales for Absco Sheds

Absco Sheds is a leading provider of outdoor storage solutions. While the company doesn’t sell directly to consumers, its products are available through major retailers, including Bunnings and Mitre 10 in Australia, and Home Depot, Walmart, Wayfair, and Tractor Supply in the US.

Due to the nature of the product, Absco Sheds encountered a challenge where customer satisfaction ratings looked to impact sales growth. Their products — a range of DIY flat-pack sheds and structures — are more complicated than they seem at first glance.

“The products, which can extend up to six meters in size, can be quite complicated to assemble,” Rebecca Chang, Head of Digital at Absco, explained. “And the task can be quite daunting for many people.”

The biggest challenge? Absco Sheds lacked a consolidated system for gathering direct customer feedback. To strengthen consumer confidence and ensure retail success, they needed more reviews to improve products and set realistic assembly expectations.

“We knew reviews were essential for bridging the gap between customer expectations and the actual product experience,” said Chang. “Plus, they play a crucial role in the purchasing journey for our products.”

The Bazaarvoice solution

Absco Sheds picked the Bazaarvoice Ratings & Reviews solution because it allowed them to collect, display, and distribute reviews across their retail network.

“With Bazaarvoice, we can syndicate our reviews directly to our retailers,” Chang said. “We’re not just sharing feedback — we’re fostering a stronger, more transparent relationship between our brand, retail partners, and customers.”

By syndicating reviews across the Bazaarvoice Network of over 1,750 leading retailers, Absco Sheds can ensure its products stand out on physical and digital shelves. This helps increase the brand’s exposure and inspire potential customers to choose Absco Sheds over the competition.

Implementing review collection

Absco Sheds implemented a simple yet impactful review strategy to capture valuable customer insights. Understanding the pivotal role of real user experiences in influencing potential customers, the company placed a QR code inside every product box. This QR code provided a direct gateway for customers to leave feedback, bridging the gap between product assembly completion and review submission.

Absco Sheds also devised a strategy of incentivizing customer reviews through monthly gift card giveaways. This approach proved highly effective. “By rewarding our customers who share their reviews, we’ve engaged our community in a meaningful way,” Chang said. It culminated in collecting over 1,100 reviews in under two years.

Chang noted it wasn’t just about the quantity of the reviews collected but the quality and depth of insight these reviews offered. From assembly tips to suggestions for product improvements, the feedback became another great source for prospective customers and the Absco Sheds product development team. The ability to also syndicate Absco’s responses to reviews back across the network improved trust in the brand and a clear visual show of support to their customers since retailers weren’t always able to respond.

The review collection initiative enhanced Absco Sheds’ digital presence across its extensive retail network. Through Bazaarvoice’s syndication capabilities, these customer testimonials reached a wider audience, significantly amplifying their impact. By sharing real-world experiences, Absco Sheds streamlined the assembly process for potential buyers and solidified its commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction.

Absco Sheds’ implementation of the review collection program underscores the company’s forward-thinking approach to digital engagement and customer-centricity. By leveraging the Bazaarvoice Ratings & Reviews solution, Absco Sheds set a standard in harnessing reviews to drive product excellence and brand loyalty.

Leveraging the voice of the customer for social and paid media

In addition to syndicating reviews to its retailer network, Absco Sheds also leveraged customer reviews in its marketing efforts. “We do share customer reviews and their images on our social media platforms, incorporating them organically into our content strategy,” Chang said. The company has also incorporated reviews into paid social media ads, recognizing the power of user-generated content.

By integrating customer reviews and images into its social media content and paid advertising, Absco Sheds has created an authentic community founded on trust.

The results

Since implementing the Bazaarvoice Ratings & Review solution, Absco Sheds has achieved remarkable results in amplifying the voice of the customer:

• Innovative review collection success:
  Absco Sheds has collected 1,118 reviews by incentivizing customers with gift cards, creating a pool of over 1300 reviews.
• Retailer/network success:
  Absco Sheds’ syndication efforts have significantly increased review volume for its US retailers, contributing to improved sales performance. “Our retail partners tell us that sharing reviews has helped bump up sales. It’s a game-changer for us,” Chang added. Syndicating reviews increased displayable review volume from 2,478 to 31,983 reviews, representing a 1,190% increase in review volume.
• Amplification across marketing:
  Absco Sheds has successfully incorporated customer reviews into its social media marketing campaigns, leveraging the authentic voice of its customers to drive engagement and conversions. Chang summarized, “Where Bazaarvoice differs from competitors is that ability to tap into that retail network. That is really, really important for us.” By partnering with Bazaarvoice, Absco Sheds has unlocked the power of the voice of the customer, driving retailer success, collecting valuable feedback, and amplifying authentic customer experiences across its marketing efforts.

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